Donna Merrilees - Full time Veterinary Nurse

Arrived at WVH: 1990

Formal qualifications: Fully qualified Veterinary nurse
Advanced Certificate in Veterinary Nursing

Special interest/specialisation: Surgery Nurse, dentistry, weight control, behaviour and training

Most memorable veterinary moment: Marathon surgery – 8 hours under anaesthetic – Pelvis surgery on 2 year old Labrador

Partner: Brett Hudson

Pets: Horses: Shilo (18 years old), Tonto (21 years old), Moose (7 years old)
Dogs: Flex - 3 year old Koolie
Rayne - 2 year old Koolie
Quinn - 1 year old Border Collie
Donna's Dogs lead a very active life on her property with the horses. They get plenty of long walks and actively participate in professional agility and tracking trials with plenty of medals and ribbons to show for it! 

Personal hobbies: Dog Agility & Obedience Training
Horse riding/netball/snow skiing/running/walking dogs/outdoor activities

Other: Parelli – Natural Horsemanship Training

Courtney Allen - Full time Veterinary Nurse

First came to Whitehorse in September 2009. Courtney has most recently been nursing at the AEC (Animal Emergency Centre), where her extensive qualifications and experience have enabled her to provide emergency and critical care for a wide range of patients. Courtney has also nursed exotic pets in an outer suburban clinic with a special interest in rats, mice, ferrets, rabbits, guinea pigs, birds, lizards, snakes and wildlife!

Qualifications: Certificate & Diploma in Veterinary Practice Management (University of New England (2008), Veterinary Nursing Accreditation with the Veterinary Nurses Council of Australia (2007), Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing (2006), Certificate II & III in Animal Studies (2004), Introduction to the Zoology of Australian Wildlife (2003), Veterinary Reception (2003).

Special Interests: Courtney particularly loves small dogs (to be more specific...Chihuahuas!). Her nursing interests are spread evenly across client relations, medical and surgical nursing and also clinic administration tasks. She is also very passionate about exotic/pocket pets and emergency/critical care nursing.

Most Memorable Veterinary Moment: My happiest, most rewarding, yet most stressful veterinary moment, was nursing my own dog Jamie back to health after a near-death experience with an Addisonian crisis.  Jamie is now stable and her Addisons is under control.

Personal Hobbies: Music (80's queen), AFL (mad Sydney Swans supporter), movies (again, you can't beat the 80's!) catching up with friends and family and caring for my menagerie of pets.

Gemma Gough - Full time Veterinary Nurse

Arrived at WVH: Gemma commenced working at Whitehorse Veterinary Hospital in January 2010. Gemma has more than 5 years experience as a nurse. She has worked at the Melbourne Veterinary Specialist Centre as a dedicated Surgical Nurse. Gemma has assisted in surgeries and provided surgical nursing and after-care on a range of complex surgical cases. These include, but are not limited to, Total Hip Replacements, Advanced Knee Reconstructions, Complicated Cancer Surgeries, Complex Fractured Bones and so on. Her interest, experience and qualifications in surgery make her an ideal fit for our team.

Qualifications: Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing 2006 (Box Hill Institute of Tafe), Diploma of Surgical Veterinary Nursing 2009 (Box Hill Institute of Tafe), Approved Microchip Implanter 2006, Veterinary Reception 2004.

Special Interests: "At work I have a special interest in surgical nursing, assisting the vet with the procedure and nursing the patient through their recovery. I find it very rewarding nursing patients through their recovery and seeing them excel after their surgeries, especially when we can make a difference to a pets quality of life."

Other Interests: "Taking my old thoroughbred 'Phoenix' for leisurely rides around Wonga Park. Spending time at Philip Island working on her partner's beach house. Cooking, and more recently attempting to host small dinner parties for her friends (without giving them food poisoning!)"

Pets: "I have a crazy little wire-haired terrier called ‘Charlie' who I got from the pound about 6 years ago. Charlie has to be one of the most spoiled little dogs around and is never far from human company. I have a 19 year old Thoroughbred called ‘Phoenix'. We spent many years competing all around the local area. However, nowadays we enjoy a gentle stroll down the road. And lastly, I have a 10 year old cat called ‘Tubby', whose name suits his appearance!"

Fi Mactier - Part time Veterinary Nurse

Arrived in 1998 to 2003, 2008 to present.

Family: Husband Kane and three beautiful girls, Rhiannon 9, Ebony 7 and Madison 2

Qualifications: Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing, 1999

Special Interests: Evening reception work, puppy classes, weekend work and time to use surgery skills

Personal Hobbies: spending time with my family, going to the beach, going on nice walks with the hubby, 3 kids and 2 dogs!

Most memorable vet moment: I have had so many wonderful and memorable moments over my 13 years of veterinary nursing. But my most memorable moment is when I had to resuscitate my own dog 'Bobby' after a dog attack. Despite his ordeal he is well and happy. Thanks to his mum.

Michelle Jackson - Part time Veterinary Nurse

Arrived at WVH in July 2007

Special interest: Michelle worked in retail for 20 years and is a mother of 3 (Elise - 15, Brayden - 12, and Kayla - 11). With no formal qualifications, it wasn't easy for Michelle to get her 'foot in the door' as a veterinary nurse. Michelle is well known for her super-friendly welcome to all pets (and their owners) who attend the hospital. She loves helping nurse the animals in hospital and helps out as surgical nurse in theatre as often as she can.

Most memorable veterinary moment: 'A small dog came into the hospital gulping for air, unable to breathe. I was so worried she was going to die. We administered oxygen and worked to stabilize her with IV fluids and many injectable medications. She made a remarkable recovery and now takes 2 types of heart medications to keep her happy and healthy.'

Pets: Marley the Golden Retriever, 2 Rats - Daisy and Pepper, Cheeky the Cockatiel and Jack and Jill the Budgies.

Personal hobbies: I do love ceramics, although I haven't done that for some time! I also love cuddling animals, which I've been able to do a lot more of recently!

Proudest Moment: Getting my job with Whitehorse Veterinary Hospital. Oh, and completing my in-house training on anaesthetic monitoring.

Summer Schwartz - Part time Veterinary Nurse

Started working part-time with us at Whitehorse in August 2008. Summer had completed her Certificate III in Companion Animal Services. She is now enrolled in Certificate IV Veterinary Nursing, attending Box Hill Tafe one day per week and making up the rest of a full-time working week nursing at our hospital.

Special Interest: Summer is rapidly developing as a receptionist, cleaner, personal assistant to the vets, office administrator, client counselor, medical ward nurse, surgical theatre nurse and more! She is finding the demands of being a veterinary nurse both challenging and rewarding and we are all very proud of her commitment and her rapid development both at Tafe and as a valued member of our team. Veterinary Dental Nursing and Animal Behavior are two areas she is developing a particular interest in.

Most Memorable Veterinary Moment: We had a tiny dog come to our hospital, very unwell and having had troubles with her 'water-works' for some time. X-rays showed multiple golf-ball sized stones in the bladder and one in the kidney. Several hours of major surgery resulted in all stones being removed. It took quite a few days to nurse her back to health, but she is now happier and livelier than she has been for quite a long time! 

Interests: Summer loves her AFL club, Essendon (much to the delight of Rod and Shaun)

Pets: Cody is a 4 year old much-loved pooch. He is the size of a Jack Russell, the color of a Pomeranian and has the attitude of a Chihuahua (See Courtney's profile for more about Chihuahuas!)

Phillipa 'Pip' Taylor - Part time Veterinary Nurse

Joined us in 1999 and worked until 2002, returned in 2007 and has been with us since.

Pip and her partner, Samuel, are proud parents to Emily (2) and Lachlan (1).

Formal Qualifications:
Bachelor of Nursing (Deaking University), 
Bachelor of Applied Science - Health Promotions (Deaking University)

Special Interests: Pip's passion is working as an Operating Theatre Nurse (on humans!). She spent 5 years working at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne before having her first child, Emily. She now works some weekend work with us as she raises her family, and expects to someday go back to nursing children.

Personal Hobbies: Mixed Netball, Gardening & Cooking

Pets: Levi the standard schnauzer and Mia and Tom (RSPCA rescue cats)